MAG News

1. Homeless Numbers Holding Steady

Results of the 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) Homelessness Count are in, with total numbers holding steady year over year. Flat numbers in a growing region are themselves a meaningful sign. As the Maricopa region’s population continues to climb, holding the overall count steady and reducing the unsheltered population demonstrates important progress.

Shifts in age distribution are also impacting school enrollment patterns. As the population ages and birth rates decline, the share of high school students rose from 30 percent to 33 percent, while K-8 enrollment dropped from 70 percent to 66 percent between 2015 and 2024.

View 2026 homelessness data at the link below.

Homelessness Count Data

2. The 2026 Heat Relief Network

The Heat Relief Network is a regional partnership of the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), municipalities, nonprofit organizations, the faith-based community and businesses. Each year, MAG coordinates the mapping of the Heat Relief Network, a network of partners providing water, cooling, and donation sites throughout the Valley to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths among vulnerable populations. The map and directories are updated as new partners sign up throughout the summer season, which runs May 1 to September 30.

The region has seen a second consecutive year of decline in heat-related deaths. County Public Health data for 2025 show 430 deaths, down from 608 in 2024 and 645 in 2023.

Explore the Heat Relief Network Map

3. SR 87 Corridor Study Survey

MAG and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community are assessing State Route (SR) 87 between the Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) and Gilbert Road, as well as McDowell Road between the Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) and SR 87. This study will assess existing and future travel demands, develop recommendations to improve safety, enhance regional connectivity, and support existing and planned development in the area.

Your feedback will help guide decisions that make the study area’s streets safer and more accessible for all. Share your experiences on our interactive comment map or take a short survey.

Share Your Experience

Photo of the Month

The Town of San Tan Valley is the latest municipality to join MAG. The move comes less than a year after San Tan Valley officially incorporated as a town.

From left to right: MAG Executive Director Audra Koester Thomas, MAG Regional Council Chair Alexis Hermosillo, San Tan Valley Mayor Daren Schnepf and Town of San Tan Valley Town Manager Brent Billingsley.

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